Back In The Game
by Bronwyn Celtia
Summary: I debated adding this one, but it does link FIRST MISSION to SUPER STORM, so... Lady Hawk is doubting her command abilities. No one else is, but they need to get her back in the game.
1. Chapter 1

4

1.

"We _need_ Lady Hawk back, General Colton," Jessica 'Blackbird' Ziffner stood facing General Joseph Colton and Colonel Clayton 'Hawk' Abernathy across Colton's desk. As usual, she wore a flight jumpsuit, her aviation glasses pushed up on top of her head. "Yeah, we can get the jobs we're assigned done, not that we've had more than two since the Westing thing, but it's not the same, sir. Lady Hawk pulled us together, and she's the heart of the team…"

"And if Leatherneck tries taking over one more time, you'll be down a Marine," Johanna 'Spanner' Thierry warned lowly. "Because I _will_ put the jarhead in the infirmary! We have our own way of doing things, General. You know it; you approved it! Who is he to try giving us orders, and try changing how we do our jobs?"

"I'll talk to Leatherneck," Hawk promised. "You were supposed to be working with Flint the last time out, not Leatherneck."

"You know Lady Hawk's counselor in Denver doesn't think she's ready to come back," Colton sighed. "In fact, he's recommending a medical discharge for her."

"You can't let that happen, sir," Amanda 'Angel' Duffy protested. "She needs to get back in the game, or she will _never_ stop questioning herself. Ask Hawk, if you don't believe us. He knows her better than anyone."

"Dr. Malloy reports she is no longer up to the rigors of leadership," Colton had the last report sitting right there on his desk.

"Then he obviously doesn't know Lady Hawk," Martha 'Firecracker' Benjamin snorted. "And she's got him snowed but good! Trust me, General. When we went up to Denver, there was _nothing_ wrong with her command capabilities!"

"I am inclined to agree with the ladies, sir," Hawk said, arms folded across his chest. "If she was as ready to just…give it all up, like she says she is, she'd be actively looking for a way out, not just of OMEGA, but the Army, period. She'd be staying with her mother, instead of telling Mallory to go to hell and packing it up to the cabin like she did."

"What do you suggest, people? The last time I spoke to her, she wanted to know the status of her transfer request," Colton looked up at his junior officer.

"What transfer request?"

"The one I had Snake Eyes 'file' for me. Never did actually read it," Colton's lips twitched. Hawk laughed, and the five women facing him relaxed slightly. "The fact is, until she passes a psych evaluation, I can't order her back. She refuses to go anywhere near Malloy again…"

"Then send Psych Out up to her, sir," Charlene 'Princess' Marcome suggested. "She will talk to Psych, especially if he's right there at the cabin."

"I'll even fly him up," Blackbird nodded. "I've been there, so I know where I'm going."

"The cabin is fairly roomy," Hawk commented, seeing the looks on the women's faces. "It can easily sleep…oh, two dozen people, without resorting to couches or floor space."

"A _cabin_ is that large?" Colton scoffed.

"My uncle always called it the cabin. It is a wooden structure," Hawk shrugged. "He built it before he was married, for hunting trips and business meetings on site, and family getaways. There are bunks in the loft, and four large bedrooms…"

"It might take a day or two to convince her, sir," Firecracker pointed out. "And you wouldn't want Psych to rush the eval."

"No, that wouldn't do at all, would it?" Colton agreed wryly. "OMEGA, go get Lady Hawk. Take Psych Out and a few more Joes, if you think you'll need them," he instructed. "Two copters, no more, ladies."

"Take Flint to handle the second copter," Hawk told them. "He'll love the library up there."

"Thank you, General!" Blackbird saluted sharply, followed by the other four. Then they turned almost as one, and hurried out.

"Three….two…" Hawk counted. Before he could say 'one', there was a loud, multi-voiced shout in the hallway. "Right on cue. I imagine there are at least a dozen Joes out there, who were waiting to hear what happens next. I'll make sure Flint and Psych know it's a ligit trip, General."

"Besides Psych and Flint, and probably Lady Jaye, who do you expect will want in on this?" Colton asked.

"A longer list than you just authorized, sir. I'll keep it down to ten," Hawk promised. "I am sending Spirit, for definite. Shipwreck, or Polly will stow away, regardless…"

"Lady Hawk spoils that bird every chance she gets," Colton chuckled. "Then again, she spoils the dogs, too. As long as it doesn't negatively affect their jobs, I don't mind. But speaking of sending in the troops…make sure they take enough supplies, Hawk. We don't need them eating Lady Hawk out of house and home…although that might convince her to come back sooner…"

"We send Freestyle, that gives them a third copter and more space for supplies," Hawk said. "We would still only be sending two birds, General. Baby belongs to Blackbird, not Joe."

The group in the hallway had started toward the mess hall. It was almost time for lunch, regardless, and there were plans to be made.

"So who all is going? Just you gals?" Shipwreck demanded.

"Me!" Polly squawked. "Miss Lady Hawk!"

"You can't go off without me, bird," Shipwreck stated, tapping her beak lightly.

"I don't know who is going, besides OMEGA…and Flint," Blackbird said. "General Colton told us to take Flint to fly the second copter."

"Which means _I_ am going, too," Lady Jaye said quickly. "He is my field partner, after all."

"That's your excuse, and you're sticking to it, eh Jaye?" Spanner laughed.

"Seriously, how do we decide on whom, and how many?" Princess asked. "We can't take too many. For one thing, the General said 'a few'. And if we show up with an entire platoon, Lady Hawk will shoot every last man and woman… she'll keep the bird and the dogs."

"She can't have all the dogs. Law and Order stay here," Hawk announced from the rear of the group. "Flint, Lady Jaye, Psych, Spirit, Shipwreck…because Polly will go with or without you, 'Wreck… Freestyle…you'll be taking supplies with you, so you'll need the space…Mutt and Junkyard, Gung Ho, Alpine, Bazooka, and Heavy Duty. That's it…"

"Hold up there, Hawk. We gotta talk," Roadblock shook his head. "Sending supplies is just half the job. Who's gonna cook all that corn on the cob?"

"You're volunteering?" Hawk guessed.

"Yes sir."

"Alright…but no more! Lady Hawk is likely to come back just to beat the hell out of me, for letting you all over-run her," Hawk shook his head. "You have today to get ready, you leave in the morning, and you are to come back on Monday."

"Eighteen humans, two dogs and two birds. You and me have a shopping list to write, Roadblock," Freestyle announced.

"Real food, flygirl, let's be clear," Roadblock warned. "Or Lady Hawk's kitchen, I won't let you near!"

"You're preaching to the choir, my friend. Come on!" She dragged him off.


	2. Chapter 2

8

2.

KT Abernathy, better known to her military friends as Lady Hawk, sat wrapped in a shawl and a blanket on the porch of her father's Rocky Mountain retreat, sipping hot coffee and watching the first snowfall of the season. She was also watching the trail from the landing field further down the valley, and waiting. She'd heard the copters earlier that morning. There was no mistaking Baby, especially since Blackbird almost always had the music going. OMEGA was coming, and not alone. There had been three birds, not one.

The first she actually saw of any of them was a streak of green feathers heading straight for her at top speed. She set her mug out of harm's way, and opened the shawl for Polly to land on her lap and snuggle close.

"Too cold, Lady Hawk!" the parrot complained.

"It's October in Colorado, Polly-luv. Of course it's too cold for a parrot," the woman snickered, carefully wrapping the shawl back around herself and the bird. There was a loud cry, and the sound of larger wings as Freedom, Spirit's Bald Eagle, landed on the porch railing. "Good morning to you, Freedom. So, Shipwreck and Spirit are with OMEGA. I wonder who else?" She debated continuing to wait where she was, but not for long. Polly was still shivering against her. "Let's get you inside, Pol. You aren't getting sick on my watch."

She'd just opened the door and was stepping inside when two canine forms bolted across the clearing in front of the building, and ran right inside passed her.

"Yeah, you too big, bold boys don't like the cold either, hu?" KT snorted. McArthur, who'd been here before, headed straight for a large cushion on the floor by the fireplace, and yipped at Junkyard, inviting the Rottweiler to join him. "Add Mutt to the list. Who else, from the Joes, Polly?" She settled the bird out of the draft, where the fire's warmth would seep into the parrot's body.

"Flint and Jaye, Roadblock, Freestyle," Polly announced. "Psych…"

"That's no surprise," KT snorted.

"Alpine, Bazooka, Gung Ho," Polly finished up. "Got blueberries?"

"Nope, sorry. You'll just have to make due with sunflower seeds," KT went to the kitchen to get them, and bowls of water for both avian and canine visitors. She also brought each dog a biscuit.

"That's a _cabin_?" Gung Ho demanded as the humans cleared the trees.

"More a chalet," Alpine commented. "Nice place."

"It's huge," Bazooka noted.

"It's not that big…." Firecracker disagreed. "I mean, there aren't that many rooms to it…"

"You could fit an Awe Striker in the front door!" Heavy Duty insisted.

"No, you couldn't. And if you tried, Lady Hawk would have your head mounted on the wall over the fireplace within twenty-four hours," Spanner shook her head. "Come on. Looks like Polly, McArthur and Junk are already inside."

"Ahoy in the house!" Shipwreck called out as they got closer. KT opened the front door, and stood there, arms crossed over her chest, a dark look on her face. "Ah, hiya, Lady Hawk. Ah, we were just in the neighborhood…."

"Stow it, Sailor Man. You honestly brought Polly up here in October? She's lucky I was out here when she showed up!" KT snapped. "And what about the statement 'Leave me alone' needs to be translated for you lot to understand it?"

"You don't get to make that call, as long as you're on Uncle Sam's payroll, Lady Hawk," Flint pointed out. "Since Malloy is pushing for a medical discharge…"

"He is a total idiot, and I think he got his license out of a Cracker Jack box," KT scowled. "You're here, you might as well come inside." She stepped back and to one side, allowing them to enter. "What the blazes are you lot packing?"

"Food, mostly. Didn't think it was fair, not to bring in our share," Roadblock told her.

"And just how long will I be…graced with your presence?"

"Until Monday," Blackbird said, setting her pack down under a window. "Might as well unload the supplies down here, and put it right into the kitchen."

"Four days, for what, exactly?"

"For me to decide if you have Malloy snowed," Psych Out informed her. "Because if you can't pass an evaluation, you will be discharged, Lady Hawk."

"I don't want a discharge, just a transfer," she said. "Only I hear my request was… misfiled?"

"Snake Eyes is talented in a lot of ways. Office work, not so much," Jaye shrugged. KT rolled her eyes.

"I don't see any rope," KT watched as they unloaded supplies bound for the kitchen.

"What would we need rope for?" Heavy Duty asked.

"If you plan to drag me back to the Pit or Tirnagog, you'd need rope to hogtie me," she pointed out.

"We don't need rope for that," Shipwreck scoffed, grabbing her from behind and lifting her into the air. Mistake.

BIG mistake. KT twisted, hooked her foot behind his knee, and pulled forward. When the sailor lost his balance, she danced away and let him hit the floor.

"Yeah, you do," she said coldly. "Roadblock, Freestyle, come with me, and I will show you the kitchen. You men will be in the loft…on the third floor. Ladies, four in the front room, two in the room at the top of the stairs, and Lady Jaye can have the room near the stairs to the loft." She grabbed a stack of supplies and headed through the dining room.

"Rooms can wait," Flint announced. "Everybody shift the supplies."

"Whoa!" Roadblock stopped in the kitchen door, his eyes wide.

"Roadblock, you're living up to your name," Freestyle complained. "Move, will ya?"

"I'm gonna tell each girl and boy, cookin' in here will be a joy!" the big man announced happily. The kitchen was large, with all modern appliances, and wide work spaces.

"It was upgraded this summer," KT told him. "Mother wanted all electric…"

"Blasphemy!"

"Also not practical up here," KT said wryly. "Add to that, she is rarely here, and never cooks… gas stove, wood stove, and a grill pit out that door. Walk in freezer, walk in refrigerator, very large pantry. Have a ball, you two. I miss your cooking."

"I miss your blueberry pancakes!" Freestyle told her. "Nobody makes blueberry pancakes like you do, Lady Hawk."

"My claim to fame, blueberry pancakes," KT shook her head.

"You do steak and eggs pretty damn good, too," Shipwreck said, bringing a bag to the table.

"You like anything you don't have to cook, 'Wreck," Alpine stated.

"No I don't. I'll _eat_ almost anything I don't have to cook," Shipwreck corrected. "That don't mean I actually _like_ it."


	3. Chapter 3

12

3.

Supper that night was loud and boisterous, with the eighteen soldiers gathered around the long table in the dining room. Roadblock and Freestyle had done themselves proud.

Psych watched KT without seeming to. She was relaxed, even with a sudden crowd around her, invading her space. She did organize the clean-up detail, seemingly without thinking much about it.

"She was born a leader, even as Hawk," Spirit commented lowly to Psych Out at one point.

"She needs to feel that," Psych shrugged slightly. "She has taken the lead without thinking about it all day. We'll see what happens."

Friday morning, there was almost a foot of snow on the ground. KT was the first awake, and had the coffee made, breakfast started, and the animals fed before anyone else came down the stairs.

"Coffee!" Lady Jaye made a beeline to the pot and the array of mugs on the counter by it. "It smells heavenly!"

"I don't make Uncle Sam's mud," KT said. "The sugar is on the dining room table, but I haven't taken the creamer out yet."

"I'll get it," Jaye offered, going to the refrigerator.

"Second shelf on the left, about a foot in."

"Something smells good!" Flint came strolling in with Spirit right behind him. "Ahhhh, coffee!"

"I need to check on Freedom," Spirit said as Flint poured two mugs of coffee and handed the tracker one.

"He's on the back deck, having his breakfast," KT stated.

"Do I want to know what you fed him?"

"Raw rabbit. What the hell do you think I'd feed an eagle? French toast?" the redhead snorted.

"Do I want to know where you got raw rabbit?" Flint asked.

"Most recently, the freezer. The last time we were up here, Firecracker did some hunting."

"Did I hear my name?" Firecracker, her hair still messy in her night braid, came into the kitchen stretching. "Whatever it is, I don't think I did it."

"I fed one of the rabbits you got to Freedom," KT informed her.

"The bird's gotta eat," Firecracker shrugged. She poured two mugs of coffee, added cream and sugar, and met Bazooka at the door with his. "Mornin' Bazook."

"Mornin'. Thanks."

"Firecracker, man the bacon grill," KT ordered. "Where's Spanner? I need her to keep an eye on the steaks."

"Thought you weren't giving orders any more?" Spanner strolled in.

"If people want to eat, I need help in here. You don't want to eat, go home."

"Be glad I want to eat."

"Where is everyone else? It's seven-thirty already!"

"Still sleeping," Bazooka told her.

"What, they think they're on vacation on my dime? Not happening," KT got a glint in her eyes that made Flint and Spirit both very glad they were already awake. "Bazooka, Flint and Spirit, set the table. Princess! Angel! Blackbird!" She yelled up the back stairs. "Get your butts front and center!"

She set the three of them to work in the kitchen, then headed upstairs with that glint still in her eyes. She stopped in her room briefly before continuing up to the loft.

Seven men were still snoring in their bunks. Until KT lifted the bugle to her lips and belted out revelry. Shipwreck hit his head on the ceiling. Gung Ho fell to the floor. Alpine almost fell out of his top bunk.

"I am not waiting breakfast on your lazy butts, Boy Scouts!" KT announced loudly. "You've got five minutes to be at the table, or you don't eat! And the last two down are on KP!" She turned on her heel and left.

"Beach Head sure would be so proud, hearing KT get that loud!" Roadblock groaned, rolling out of the bunk.

"And she has Malloy convinced she can't handle leadership anymore?" Psyche shook his head as he fell back against the pillows again. "I don't think Hawk would have thought of the bugle."

"She's a woman. They're a lot nastier than even Ranger PT instructors," Shipwreck commented, swinging down from his bunk and grabbing his pants. "I don't know about you, but I plan on eating breakfast… and _not_ doing KP!"

Psyche Out and Alpine ended up with KP after breakfast.

"Lady Hawk, come with me," Spirit phrased it as a request. KT knew it wasn't. Silently, she shoved her feet into her boots, grabbed her heavy shawl, and followed him out the back door. He headed for the pond about fifty yards from the back deck. "This is a good place to heal."

"It is," she agreed. "Hawk came up here for a couple of weeks, when he came back from Nam. I honestly don't think he was 'home' before he'd been here, and regrouped a bit."

"You don't hide from your own mistakes, so why are you hiding from someone else's?"

"It isn't what she did, it's what happened because of what she did," KT sighed, not looking at him. "Only, I can't really hide from that either, can I? It just…hurts, Spirit. I lost two of my best friends. They were counting on me!"

"You did not fail them, Lady Hawk. Jillian Moore failed them, and you, and herself. Let her live with it," he advised. "Talk about the hurt to those who understand it best. General Colton, Hawk, Duke, Flint, Beach Head…"

"I can _not_ see me talking to Beach Head about it, Spirit," she shook her head with a wry twist to her lips. "Yeah, I'd rather face him at his worst than my mother in a snit any day, but…"

"Psyche and I are both trained to help you through this."

"So is Malloy, supposedly," she snorted. "His attitude is that of course I crumbled; I am a woman, and women aren't strong enough to deal with it."

"He sounds like an idiot. It is usually the women who are stronger," Spirit snorted lightly. "It has always been the women who have to pick up the pieces and keep going, keep working. You are strong, Lady Hawk."

"I am _afraid_, Spirit, and I'm honest enough to admit it," she sighed.

"Fear is something we all deal with. It is _how_ you deal with it that matters."

"Lady Hawk!" Flint's voice rang out from behind them. KT and Spirit turned to see him standing on the deck. "Rumor has it you've got a computer link here to Tirnagog, the Pit, and DC. Hawk needs to talk to us!"

"So much for a quiet retreat," KT commented as the pair headed back. "Not that it's been quiet since yesterday morning!"

"You have missed your friends." Spirit stated.

"There are some friends I will never stop missing."


	4. Chapter 4

15

4.

Back inside the cabin, Flint and Spirit followed KT to the library off the great room.

"I didn't see…" Flint began, frowning.

"You weren't supposed to," KT said, crossing to one built-in bookshelf. She reached into a shelf, pulled a lever, and stepped back. The shelf sank into the floor, revealing about another four feet of space behind it, where two large screens, a pair of custom hard drives, two workstations and a printer sat. "Dad put this in a little over a year ago, so both Hawk and I would have easy contact to wherever we needed. No, he doesn't really know about the Joes; he just doesn't buy the whole 'artillery unit' story." He fingers flew across one of the keyboards, and Hawk's image, standing by Mainframe in the Pit, appeared on one of the screens. "You rang?"

"I need to cut the weekend short," Hawk nodded. "I have an assignment for Flint's team in Indonesia, and one for OMEGA in Malaysia. Look," he motioned to Mainframe, and a second screen in front of KT displayed an aerial of a steaming vent. "It's a small island, but there is an orphanage there, and those children need to be hauled out."

"Send me the specs, Mainframe," KT requested. "We'll have to pick up our gear at Tirnagog…or the Pit. I don't know where it is, but Blackbird better…"

"You're going with them?" Hawk demanded.

"That's the whole idea, isn't it?" She countered. "Get me out of the Pity Pool and back in the game?"

"You can read me so easily, you think?"

"You didn't request Blackbird's presence for this hook-up, Hawk," she pointed out. "Whatever the assignment you have for the Joes, I think you'd better get some R&R in right after, because you are slipping, Bro. Mainframe, the specs, please. I want to be out of here within the hour."

"You got it, Lady Hawk," Mainframe nodded. "Specs coming now."

An hour later, the copters lifted, one by one, from the snowy field. By dark, they were back at the Pit. By dawn, OMEGA was off again.

"So, what is our assignment, Hawk?" Flint asked at the morning meeting.

"You're taking a six man team to a closer spot, in case Lady Hawk really can't handle it anymore," Hawk told him. "Those children do need to be evacuated."

"All due respect, Colonel…" Flint shook his head. "They don't need babysitters. If Lady Hawk can't deal with it, Blackbird can, and will."

"But will any of them report it if she falls apart?"

Lady Hawk felt the assignment was going to turn out to be a milk run. A job that needed doing, but nothing to really push her limits or test where she was at. Hell, there was a Naval science vessel within distance that could have evacuated the school! Part of her wanted to beat Hawk to a pulp for this one.

The orphanage was not a large one. There were maybe three dozen children, four nuns, and a local family who ran the attached farm. The children, of course, were all wide-eyed when a Huey and a Tomahawk set down on the rocky beach.

"Americans!" One boy announced loudly, grinning. "American GIs…women?"

"OMEGA," Lady Hawk nodded. "Yes, we are all women. Where is Mother Superior?"

"Coming," the boy pointed to the line of white-clad, black-capped nuns heading their way. "She is the little one."

"Mother Superior," Lady Hawk bowed slightly to the tiny woman at the head of the line.

"You are here because of the new hot springs? From the science ship?" Mother Superior asked, her accent strong.

"It isn't a hot spring, ma'am," Lady Hawk stated. "It's a volcanic vent. We have four days, tops, to get you and the children off this island. There is a baby volcano about to announce itself to the surface."

"But, four days? We haven't much, but…"

"Four days, ma'am," Lady Hawk nodded. "We'll be transferring you to the Minnesota for now, and they will escort you to the mainland. Your Mother House at Teine has already been notified, and we are assured you will be met at the mainland."

"But the doctor…he assures us this is not a danger," Mother Superior insisted.

"What doctor?"

"The scientist. Dr. Bender…."

Lady Hawk threw a look at Spanner. No scientist had been sent, to the best of their knowledge.

"I will have a talk with Dr. Bender, but you really do need to start packing up, ma'am," Lady Hawk said firmly. One of the other nuns asked a question in a language Lady Hawk only vaguely recognized. She looked inquiringly at Mother Superior.

"Sister Bertram asks, what of the animals? The farm animals, and the pets?"

"We'll do our best, but the humans are the priority."

"I understand," the small woman nodded. She gave orders to her sister nuns, and the children were herded away. "Do you wish to speak to Dr Bender now? He has a tent near the steam."

"Man, what an idiot!" Firecracker snorted from behind Lady Hawk. "Volcanic steam isn't exactly something to mess with!"

"Firecracker, go with Spanner to the farm, and make sure they start packing up. No furniture! Clothes, food, personal belongings…pen the smaller farm animals for transport, but absolutely _no_ furniture," Lady Hawk ordered. "Blackbird and Princess, stay with the birds. No one gets on until we're ready for them to. Angel, you come with me. Better bring your kit… and the portable O2."


	5. Chapter 5

19

5.

Mother Bernard wanted to escort Lady Hawk to meet Dr. Bender, but Lady Hawk, suspicious of the doctor's identity, insisted she stay and help with the packing.

There were four men at the vent, not one of whom even looked like a scientist of any stripe. They were, however, monitoring some sort of device set over the vent itself.

"And where is Doctor Bender?" Lady Hawk asked, noting the insignia on the men's uniforms. The red cobra head was kind of hard to miss against the blue.

"Busy. What do you want? This isn't a military operation," one man snarled.

"It is now, snake," Lady Hawk stated. "Mind telling us what you bozos think you're doing?"

"Getting rid of you!" The gun came up, but Lady Hawk beat him to the draw, shooting her carbine from the hip. She swung, dropping two more, and wounding another. Angel knocked one to the ground, and sent the apparatus flying. Hot mud spewed into the air from the vent.

"Damn it! Back to the school!" Lady Hawk yelled. "We no longer have four days."

"What about the Cobra troopers?" Angel asked as the two women raced back toward the chapel and orphanage.

"They stirred it up, they can damn well deal with it on their own!"

They reached the area around the orphanage, and saw children helping with the farm animals.

"Mother Bernard, I've got some bad news," Lady Hawk headed for the elderly nun while Angel went to the tomahawk to radio the Minnesota. To get the humans and animals out in the time they had left, they were going to need help, and at least two more helicopters. "We don't have four days. We'll be lucky if we have four hours. Blackbird! Get ready to take the first crew out of here!"

For the next three hours, Lady Hawk pushed herself, her team, the nuns, and the farmer to the limit. She coordinated the evacuation with Blackbird, Princess in the tomahawk, and the three pilots from the Minnesota, using a mobile radio set up. She also sent Firecracker and Spanner back to the vent. She didn't want Mindbender to benefit from the eruption. They also brought back the two wounded troopers.

"It's still spitting hot mud," Spanner announced. "And the ground is heaving pretty violently."

"I believe it. Word from the Minnesota is we've got about half an hour," Lady Hawk said grimly. "We're the last to go. Blackbird is on her way back for us now…" She stopped as she heard something she really didn't want to hear: a dog barking. "Damn it!" She started whistling, hoping the dog would come. She also started trying to trace the barking. Blackbird set Baby down behind them.

"We got maybe ten minutes, ladies!" Blackbird yelled.

"In there!" Firecracker pointed at a shed, the door half open. All three women went running.

"Keep the engine running, Blackbird!" Lady Hawk ordered.

The dog inside was a mixed breed, mid-sized….and in labor. She'd already delivered two pups.

"Find a box!" Lady Hawk ordered, dropping to her knees by the dog. The dog growled. "Yeah, I know, you want to protect your family. Well, news flash, girl. So do I. And it won't happen here."

"Big box!" Firecracker came running with a crate. Spanner grabbed a couple of empty burlap sacks and lined it. Lady Hawk wrapped her arms in two more, and lifted the dog while Firecracker grabbed the two puppies already in evidence. The dog snapped, catching Lady Hawk's chin, but the woman didn't let go. She set the dog gently into the box, and the puppies were put next to her. Then Firecracker and Spanner grabbed the box and lifted.

"I certainly hope you've had your shots, girl," Lady Hawk told the dog. "Let's get the hell out of Dodge, ladies!"

"Vulcan, Pele, Hestia, Fuji, Masaya, and Ptah," Firecracker listed, pointing to each pup in turn. "Sister Catherine said the mother's name is Kura, because she's reddish." Kura and her pups, still in the crate, were in a quiet corner on the Minnesota. The nuns and children had been settled in a large area with cots and curtains. The farm family was caring for their animals. The volcano had blown spectacularly two hours ago, almost as soon as Blackbird had lifted off of the island, and continued to throw lava, rocks and boiling mud into the air.

"All those names have something to do with volcanoes?" Princess asked.

"Yup!" Firecracker nodded.

"Ladies, you have company," one of the Minnesota's officers announced. The six women looked up to see Flint walking towards them, Lady Jaye right behind him.

"What brings you here, Flint?" Lady Hawk remained seated next to the box. Her chin was bandaged, and the ship's doctor had given her a shot of antibiotics, even though Mother Bernard had said yes, Kura had been inoculated against rabies.

"Just checking in while we're in the area," he shrugged. "What happened to you?"

"When's the last time you had to move a female in labor?" Lady Hawk shrugged, indicating Kura.

"He probably would have tried charming Kura into moving herself," Spanner joked.

"Ha ha," Flint rolled his eyes. Jaye was trying not to laugh. "I hear you cut it a little close."

"That wasn't our fault. There were some jokers messing with the vent when we got there," Blackbird said. "They kinda shortened our time line considerably."

"Messing with the vent?"

"Mindbender, we think. We didn't see him, just some troopers. Two of them are in the brig now," Lady Hawk informed him. "I had Firecracker blow their toys up. Since I am not a sciencey type of person, I can't be sure, but it looked like they were harvesting the gases coming out of the vent. It's all in my report."

"You've already got your report done?" Flint looked surprised.

"When it comes to paperwork, I don't let it pile up on me," she shrugged. "Unlike a certain Warrant Officer or First Sergeant of my acquaintance." This time, Jaye did laugh. "So, you going to give me a good report card, Flint?"

"What?"

"You didn't have a mission in Indonesia. You were sitting on the sidelines, babysitting me," Lady Hawk said easily.

"Why would you think that?"

"Because you're here now, and none of your missions have ever been that fast," she pointed out.

"Busted!" Firecracker grinned.

"Don't blame me! I told Hawk you didn't need babysitting!" Flint defended himself.

"I'm not blaming anyone," Lady Hawk shrugged. "I appreciate the back up, actually. At least, now we know I don't need it."

"Boy, ain't that the truth!" Princess agreed. "Those poor nuns must have wondered when they joined the army! And those kids! Lady Hawk had them snapping salutes when we landed!"

"The uniform did that, not me," Lady Hawk shook her head. "Blackbird, find out if Baby and the tomahawk have been properly fed yet. Our job is done. Time to go home to Tirnagog."


End file.
